Jesus & the Buddha Song – Notes from the Lyrist

The ‘wild’ idea which generated the writing of Jesus & the Buddha was the theological urban myth how the historical Jesus and the Buddha actually met during the biblical gap in the life of Jesus. This led to the dream of the singer, where he stood at the foot of the cross, dying with Jesus who abruptly transformed into the Buddha. Surprisingly the revelations given to the singer had little to do with Christianity or Buddhism, but rather centered on a Black Foot Tribe quote of how life and death are not separate, they just look that way.

The chorus brings in a little of Abraham Maslo’s Hierarchy of Needs, with altruism being at the top of the pyramid of Needs. I must say Jeff Stafford did an excellent job of singing these lyrics. And Anastasia Shield’s backup vocals lend such a taste of mystery that many listeners say they are drawn back to the song again and again. All in all, from the writing to recording to publishing, this song has been a wild ride.

According to the scrolls, Jesus abandoned Jerusalem at the age of 13 and set out towards Sind, “intending to improve and perfect himself in the divine understanding and to studying the laws of the great Buddha”. He crossed Punjab and reached Puri Jagannath where he studied the Vedas under Brahmin priests. He spent six years in Puri and Rajgirh, near Nalanda, the ancient seat of Hindu learning. Then he went to the Himalayas, and spent time in Tibetan monasteries, studying Buddhism, and through Persia, returned to Jerusalem at the age of 29.

Verse 1
I dreamt I stood below Jesus on the cross,
He peered down, blood dripping, tears dropping, then cried,
“You’re a lost little man, lost, lost, join the cross,
come up here with me.” So I tried, and I died . . .
held his bloody face; soldier’s spear rammed us both;
we flew from Judah, He became the Buddha.

Chorus
If you take care of all others,
then you’ll find you will often do,
magically, fulfill you too.
A mystery
for me and you.

Jesus & the Buddha
Jesus & the Buddha

Verse 2
The Buddha quoted Blackfoot tribe, who once said,
“Life is not separate from death, it only
looks that way.” We’re always both, alive and dead.
Dreams are how we talk to both sides of ourselves.
“Life is not separate from death, it only
looks that way.” We’re always both, we’re two instead.

Chorus
If you take care of all others,
then you’ll find you will often do,
magically, fulfill you too.
A mystery
for me and you.

Jesus & the Buddha
Jesus & the Buddha
Instrumental
Chorus
If you take care of all others,
then you’ll find you will often do,
magically, fulfill you too.
A mystery
for me and you.

If you take care of all others,
then you’ll find you will often do,
magically, fulfill you too.
A mystery
for me and you.
Jesus & the Buddha
Jesus & the Buddha
Jesus & the Buddha
Jesus & the Buddha